


Apocalypse

by ghostpun



Category: BIRDMEN - 田辺イエロウ | Tanabe Yellow
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, BirdmenWeek2018, Gen, Minor Violence, because thats just how it be sometimes, hey did you know that im TERRIFIED of zombies, it also has some, its more character focused, so dont worry fellow zombie fearers they dont make TOO much of an appearance, thats right. so why did i write a fic with them in it? I DONT KNOW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-09-02 23:05:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16796485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostpun/pseuds/ghostpun
Summary: “I can’t believe I’m stuck with you lunatics in the zombie apocalypse.”(For birdmenweek2018)





	Apocalypse

When Karasuma wished for the world to end, he hadn’t meant it _literally_.

It was supposed to be just another normal, boring day that he would easily forget. He probably should have paid more attention to the warning signs from the previous weeks. Should have noticed the tension in the air that day, the lack of planes in the sky. Maybe if he hadn’t skipped class, he wouldn’t have been so surprised. But he and Kamoda _had_ skipped, both unaware of the soon-to-be breakout. While Kamoda hunted for cats, he had looked over the pier and reflected over his future, not knowing that the paths he imagined wouldn't come true. Later, Sagisawa had remarked how peaceful today was, maybe because their phones oddly couldn’t connect, and the girl, Umino, had nodded in agreement.

Karasuma could only be bitter.

On the bus ride home, he glared out the window, annoyed at the world and its unfairness. In that moment, he was an avid fan of the world just _stopping_.

Then the bus drove past a peculiar figure.

Karasuma blinked, rubbed his eyes.

They passed another, closer this time. Karasuma could tell it wasn’t entirely human. It was too slow, too jerky, too pale. Its jaw was ripped off.

He remembers yelling something, shaking Kamoda’s arm, pointing. Umino had noticed and followed his point, before she scrambled out of her seat to the back, where they all watched the form disappear out of view. Sagisawa yelled something at the bus driver, but he hadn’t heard.

Sagisawa stumbled his way to the front, but before he could reach him, the bus driver swayed and slumped to the side, and Sagisawa had to scramble to grab the steering wheel so they weren’t yanked off the edge and onto the seashore below. They all screamed as the bus swerved, tires and brakes squealing before it skidded and tipped, and all of them were violently knocked on their sides.

Karasuma could feel glass fall on his skin, and hissed in pain from a shard that sliced his forehead open. He had gotten up before the bus swerved and had been sent flying.

“Is everyone okay?” Kamoda’s voice had rung out. Moans and groans sounded in reply as they shifted about, gathering their thoughts.

“What are we going to do?” Umino shakily called out. “If we leave, we could be ambushed. And we’re not exactly in good shape.”

“I’d rather leave and get to safety then let them find us.” Karasuma had grunted back. “The quicker we leave, the better.” He wasn’t dying there.

They were quiet for a few moments. He heard one of the others gulp audibly, another sniffled. The air was heavy, weighing on their chests.

Karasuma’s head was killing him, so he closed his eyes and breathed in. He just needed a moment. Just one, before he left and entered a new world full of zombies and even more chaos.

He started to shift to stand up when he heard sound footsteps outside the bus, stepping on the glass fragments. He stilled, his body refusing to move.

“Hello?” Voiced someone from outside. Karasuma couldn’t help but to think it sounded familiar. From the bus’s smashed windshield came into view a boy. He had spiky, wild black hair and wore a plain white T-shirt and jeans. A red backpack was thrown over his shoulder. He crouched as he stared at the other four kids, as if surprised to see them alive.

“Takayama?” Karasuma asked, confused. The boy smiled at him in response.

“Come.” He said to them all, offering a hand to Sagisawa, the closest by. “This is no place to die.”

“What are you even doing out here?” Karasuma scowled. He knew Takayama skipped class just like them, but he never knew where he went.

“I like the beach.” He vaguely replied, entering the bus and helping Umino up.

“Are there really...?” She said as she took his hand, refusing to say the name.

“Yeah.”

“A shame you don’t have weapons on you.” Karasuma joked, refusing Takayama’s hand and clambering out himself. _Ugh_ , a lot of things were going to bruise.

Takayama stared blankly at him. He reached back into his backpack, and pulled out a machete, of all things.

“What the fuck?!” Karasuma yelped, _“Who even are you?!”_

“Are there any more in there?” Kamoda asked after exiting the bus, ignoring his friend.

Takayama grabbed his bag and opened it. “I, uh, have some knives, an umbrella, and,” he points to something laying on the grass, “a baseball bat.”

Sagisawa grabbed the umbrella immediately, yelling “Dibs!” as Umino screeched a “No fair!” in protest.

“You’re all insane,” Karasuma shook his head back and forth. Oh god, he was stuck in the middle of Tokyo with people arguing over who got the umbrella to impale zombies with. “I can’t believe I’m stuck with you lunatics in the zombie apocalypse.”

Kamoda patted his friend on the back. “Aw, don’t be so negative! We increase your chances of survival.”

Karasuma pinched the bridge of his nose to stop his throbbing head. Though whether it was because of a concussion or just a headache from these guys, who knew. “Ugh...okay. Takayama, hand me a knife.”

He wordlessly did while Umino picked the bat off the ground and made a face. “Oh, geez, there’s already blood on this. How many of these things have you hit already?”

Takayama glanced down the road, which Karasuma followed to see a group of five corpses lying about, not moving.

“....Not important.” He said, before feeling Karasuma’s glare. He turned his head towards him without moving the rest of his body.

“They were making their way here. It was best to not let them get to you while you were still coming to.” On the last word, he smiled. But the lack of warmth in it sent chills up Karasuma’s spine. _Should we really be interacting with a guy like him?_

“We should get a move on.” Sagisawa suggested, breaking the conversation. “Maybe we can get back to my house.”

Umino pointed at him with the bat. “No way. Your place is like, in the middle of the city. We’d be long dead before we reached it.”

“But if we do, we’ll have supplies, food, and also height. Plus, one of my parents will _probably_ send someone to come rescue me, and we can leave that way via the helicopter.”

Helicopter? _Damn_ those rich people. Karasuma gripped the knife he was handed as he thought of the best course of action. It’s hard to focus with everything going on, and he feels like the world is spinning. Why did this have to happen? He takes a step forward. The world spins even more, the edges of his vision beginning to black. He feels himself careening forward but is too lightheaded to register it.

Kamoda’s arms wrap around Karasuma, catching him. “ _Woah there_.” He says softly. Karasuma lets out a mix between a grunt and a whine as he’s placed on the ground.

“We need to get him bandaged up,” Sagisawa points out to Umino, “Which is _why_ we should start making it towards the city. We can at least find a first aid kit along the way, and hopefully more water.”

“I’m fine. Just need a moment.” Karasuma grumbles.

“You have a bleeding gash on your forehead, Eichan. You’ll die of blood loss way before a zombie tries anything.”

“At least let us wrap your head.” Sagisawa pushes, before ripping off part of his jacket to make makeshift bandages.

Karasuma makes a dramatic scoot away from him. “Don’t come near me-!”

Umino giggles at the sight as Kamoda holds a struggling Karasuma hostage while Sagisawa attempts to help. Which is hard as well because he keeps laughing. She turns to see Takayama’s reaction, but is surprised to not see him there, slowly walking away.

“Hey, where are you going?” She calls out.

He stops, turns around. His face is hard to read, with only the slightest change in his brows.

“Oh…” He starts, “I didn’t really plan to get involved. I just wanted to check if you all were okay.”

“Oh... Well, you can leave if you want... but we...we could really use your help. There’s strength in numbers, yeah? Did you have somewhere you needed to be?”

Takayama’s face twists up even more slightly. “No-”

“What is she doing?” Karasuma hissed. “He could be dangerous! He carries around a _machete_!”

Sagisawa retorts: “He helped us out, and he seems like he knows what he’s doing.”

“That’s not a good thing!” Karasuma quietly shrieked, kicking at the other lightly, before raising his voice to yell at Takayama. “Hey! Are you a friend or a foe?”

Takayama, slightly surprised at the sudden yelling, takes a moment to think. “Friend?”

“See, he hesitated.”

“Why’d he answer it as a question?” Kamoda adds.

“Hush.” Sagisawa scowls, before standing up and walking over to the others. “Do you mind sticking around for a bit, Takayama? ...It didn’t sound like you had a particular plan, and we’re not complete strangers, so…”

“Please?” Kamoda asks. Takayama looked at Karasuma, who huffed and glanced away.

“I guess it would be beneficial to have you in our group.”

Takayama nods. Sagisawa clasps his hands in relief.

“O-Kay! Welcome to the team, now let’s get along,” He smiles and waves the umbrella around like a wand, “and let’s kill some zombies along the way!”

Kamoda heaved Karasuma onto his back and followed after him. “Alright!”

“Ugh.” was all Karasuma could say.

“First one to kill a zombie wins!” Umino cheered, running to catch up with Sagisawa.

Takayama trailed behind her. “Doesn’t that mean I’ve already won?”

“ _You_ don’t count!”

He shrugged. “That’s fair.”

Kamoda barks out a laugh at that. Karasuma’s face twists.

“Why are you all being so cheerful suddenly? We’re in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.”

He watches Umino’s shoulders, and Kamoda ducks his head slightly.

“I’d rather be optimistic than think about the reality of the situation,” Umino pouts,“I don’t want to think about the fact that my friends and family could be dead, or that I have no way to reach them to find out. Nor do I want to think about how my Dad’s definitely gone, as the hospital would’ve fallen first.” She kicks a rock, sending it down the road. “I’m hoping they're okay, somehow.” Karasuma watches the rock bounce and regrets saying anything.

“I hope my Dad’s alright.” Kamoda says out loud, next, “I’m not sure he could handle himself. And maybe my sister got out fine.”

“Your sister could outlive us all.” Karasuma mumbles, tightening his arms around Kamoda.

“I don’t really care what happens to my folks.” Sagisawa adds, focusing on opening and closing the umbrella back and forth instead of looking at the group.

“What about you, Karasuma?” Umino asks.

Karasuma tries to think of his own parents. He imagines his mom frantically trying to contact him but the calls not going through, imagines the pounding on windows and doors surrounding her as she thinks what to do, sinking to the floor. He winces and shifts his thoughts to his dad. Would he have crashed somewhere mid-flight? Or is everything fine in whatever country he’s in right now? The second thought only made him angrier.

“I don’t know what to think.” He decides on. “Takayama?”

Takayama trails next to Kamoda, staring forward. “My parents have been long dead before this.”

“Oh.” Karasuma nervously blows a strand of hair out of his face. “Did you have no one else?”  
  
Before he could answer, they’re interrupted by someone screaming for help. They watch as a girl their age runs down the round, followed after by a zombie. Now that Karasuma’s actively watching one, he gulps as he realizes the zombie he saw limping earlier was an outlier. They all watch as she trips on lands hard on the ground.

Takayama begins to rush forward to possibly help her, but Sagisawa grabs the back of his shirt. The zombie pounces on her...Karasuma turns his head away so he doesn’t watch. Her screams ring out in a hellishly panicked tone, ingraining it into all their memories.

“I had hoped the first zombie encounter wouldn’t be so soon.” Sagisawa nervously gasps near the end of it, letting go of Takayama’s shirt in favor of gripping his weapon with both hands for support.

“The sooner you learn to fight, the better.” Takayama states. He glances back at their group, briefly locking eyes with Karasuma, before moving towards the gruesome scene. Karasuma realizes with a start that the pupils of his eyes seem to be vibrant red in the light.

He can’t help but watch as Takayama approaches the zombies and swings his arm to brings the machete down on the head of the zombie. It falls off, and the sickening noise as Takayama removed the blade grates against Karasuma’s ears. The girl lays frozen where she had been, already dead from the wounds and parts ripped from her. She suddenly convulses the second Karasuma looked, but Takayama takes no time to do the same swing from before, stopping the problem quickly. She slumps and doesn’t move again.

Karasuma couldn’t properly hear it due to Takayama’s back facing towards him, but he swears he hears him usher an apology to her corpse.

Karasuma turns his head away from the scene to see Sagisawa kneeling on the ground, holding his hand over his mouth to prevent from vomiting. He must’ve been watching too. Umino cradles the bat she chose, stares at the drying blood and nervously glancing between it and the corpses. Kamoda’s grip tightens on Karasuma’s legs.

“You okay?” Karasuma asks, lightly tapping Kamoda on the shoulder.

He straightens up at his sudden voice. “Yeah!” He says, even though his voice is laced with different emotions.

“Liar.” Karasuma scowls. “Put me down.”

“Eishi-“

“You’ve been carrying me for too long, and you need your strength to help fight.”

Kamoda tries to shoot a pout over his shoulder. “I’ve been carrying you for _maybe_ 5 minutes. Plus, you’re too weak to walk.”

“I can walk. Look-“

Karasuma maneuvers his way off his friend’s back, and puts extra effort into his voice to sound energetic.

“Perfectly mobile.” He waves his hands in emphasis.

Kamoda crosses his arms and squints. “Take one step forward.”

He does while Kamoda down. “I’m fine.” He sincerely repeats.

Kamoda’s stubbornness visibly wilts the longer they stare at each other.

“....Fine. But the second you start to overexert yourself you’re resting again.” Karasuma agrees and, satisfied, Kamoda walks over to Sagisawa, offering a hand and making sure he’s okay. Sagisawa shakily nods in response, taking the water bottle Umino offers him.

Karasuma continues to stand there, observing the world around him. He can see further down the coast smoke billowing from the city. Were they really about to go in there?

He notices out of the corner of his eye that Takayama is standing near him.

They’re both completely silent for a few moments, and Karasuma only has so much patience before he snaps towards him as they all continue to walk down the road.

“I have some questions.”

He blinks. “Okay.”

Karasuma takes off his jacket, tying it around his waist as he talks. “When did the outbreak start? Obviously it didn’t start this morning, but I have no clue what time in the afternoon.”

“I’m not sure when it broke out either. I just heard screams and it didn’t really register until I saw one.” He glances aside, lips souring at the last word. “I was in the city...but I wasn’t in the main area when it broke out.”

“Really? How’d you see the first one?” He asks, curiosity overtaking him.

“Well…” Takayama hesitates. “I heard screaming, and saw people running, so I went home.”

Karasuma raises an eyebrow, indicating the other to continue.

“The door was open, so I panicked. I ran in to see one attacking my Grandfather.”

“...Oh.” Was all Karasuma could say.

“He told me to grab a backpack by the door and run.”

“You didn’t help him?”

He sees Takayama’s eyebrows curve up, an honest question on his lips. “How could I? He was already turning.”

Karasuma feels his eyes prick as he looks at the other. Maybe he shouldn't have been so hard on him earlier. Sure, just a few minutes ago he severed a few zombie heads, but it wasn’t like he was some complete heartless monster that crawled out of a hole. His Grandfather had gone in a similar fashion.

Karasuma looks ahead to see the rest of the group in front, laughing at a joke Sagisawa told. Kamoda turns back and smiles at Karasuma briefly. Karasuma returns it, feeling his airways tighten slightly.

“I’m sorry for being an asshole.” Karasuma says to Takayama, after a few moments, still not looking at him. “We’re all scared about what’s happening, and we’re all handling it differently. Some make jokes, and others just concentrate on living.” He looks at him from the corner of his eye.

Takayama smiles at him, and it’s the first good-natured one Karasuma’s seen from him. It’s infectious, in a good way. “Right.”

Karasuma cheeks flush and he coughs awkwardly into his fist, breaking the eye contact. He feels a nervous smile tug on his lips.

“So what now?”

**Author's Note:**

> Sure, the world ended, but Karasuma gained 3 whole friends. So who’s the real winner here?


End file.
